Man Arrested for Lighting Battery on AA Flight
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Man Arrested for Lighting Battery on AA Flight
Another day, another divert...
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"After an incident where someone tried to light his shoes on fire, I'm sure that everyone's taking every precaution to make sure that flights are safe..."
Flame lands flier in jail
Man held after trying to recharge battery with lighter
Ray Delgado, [SFO] Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, August 21, 2002
A seemingly innocent attempt at recharging a battery using the flame of a cigarette lighter has landed a 22-year-old Santa Clara man in serious trouble with federal authorities after his actions prompted an American Airlines flight headed to San Francisco to divert to another city.
San Jose State University student Maxim Segalov was charged this morning with interfering with a flight crew before a U.S. District Court magistrate in Salt Lake City. He faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines stemming from the Tuesday afternoon incident.
FBI spokesman George Bougherty said crew members aboard American Airlines Flight 781 from Chicago to San Francisco became concerned when they saw Segalov using a cigarette lighter to heat up some AA batteries.
"At the time no one knew exactly what he was trying to do," Bougherty said. "If you're lighting a cigarette lighter on an airplane, anything can catch on fire. Once you get a fire on an aircraft, it's kind of a spooky thing."
Bougherty said Segalov willingly turned over the lighter and batteries to crew members and made no threats. But the pilot diverted the flight to Salt Lake City so the incident could be investigated.
"After an incident where someone tried to light his shoes on fire, I'm sure that everyone's taking every precaution to make sure that flights are safe," said Bougherty, referring to the December arrest of a man who tried to ignite explosives in his tennis shoes while on a flight from Paris to Miami.
American Airlines spokesman Todd Burke said the pilot of the aircraft made a good decision based on an unknown threat.
"When the crew was alerted to what we consider was unusual behavior, the pilot made a decision to land the aircraft and have the situation evaluated," Burke said. "The captain's primary responsibility is to secure the aircraft and protect all passengers on board."
Flight 781 left Chicago at 11 a.m. local time with 108 passengers on board and made its unscheduled landing in Salt Lake City at 1:40 p.m. local time. It was not an emergency landing, Burke said.
FBI agents escorted Segalov and his male traveling companion off the flight to be interviewed and the plane was searched for any signs of wrongdoing. The flight left Salt Lake City two hours later without Segalov and his companion and landed at San Francisco International Airport just before 5 p.m.
Bougherty said Segalov's companion was questioned and released and took a later flight back to the Bay Area.
Segalov was placed under arrest after FBI agents consulted with the U.S. Attorney's office. Bougherty said Segalov was very cooperative with investigators and told them he was only trying to recharge the battery by heating it.
U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said it is possible that the charges against Segalov could be reduced or dismissed after a further investigation. But for now authorities are taking the matter seriously.
"All of (the mitigating circumstances) will be taken into consideration," Rydalch said. "The U.S. attorney is a very reasonable person, but for now he (Segalov) was charged with interference with a flight crew."
Stanford University chemistry professor emeritus John Ross said that batteries require electricity to be recharged, not heat. He also said that lighting a battery on fire could lead to a small explosion that releases some toxic chemicals but it would be no threat to an airborne plane.
"It just raises havoc," Ross said. "The airlines should be concerned about that but it's not going to blow up a plane."
________________________________________________
"After an incident where someone tried to light his shoes on fire, I'm sure that everyone's taking every precaution to make sure that flights are safe..."
Flame lands flier in jail
Man held after trying to recharge battery with lighter
Ray Delgado, [SFO] Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, August 21, 2002
A seemingly innocent attempt at recharging a battery using the flame of a cigarette lighter has landed a 22-year-old Santa Clara man in serious trouble with federal authorities after his actions prompted an American Airlines flight headed to San Francisco to divert to another city.
San Jose State University student Maxim Segalov was charged this morning with interfering with a flight crew before a U.S. District Court magistrate in Salt Lake City. He faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines stemming from the Tuesday afternoon incident.
FBI spokesman George Bougherty said crew members aboard American Airlines Flight 781 from Chicago to San Francisco became concerned when they saw Segalov using a cigarette lighter to heat up some AA batteries.
"At the time no one knew exactly what he was trying to do," Bougherty said. "If you're lighting a cigarette lighter on an airplane, anything can catch on fire. Once you get a fire on an aircraft, it's kind of a spooky thing."
Bougherty said Segalov willingly turned over the lighter and batteries to crew members and made no threats. But the pilot diverted the flight to Salt Lake City so the incident could be investigated.
"After an incident where someone tried to light his shoes on fire, I'm sure that everyone's taking every precaution to make sure that flights are safe," said Bougherty, referring to the December arrest of a man who tried to ignite explosives in his tennis shoes while on a flight from Paris to Miami.
American Airlines spokesman Todd Burke said the pilot of the aircraft made a good decision based on an unknown threat.
"When the crew was alerted to what we consider was unusual behavior, the pilot made a decision to land the aircraft and have the situation evaluated," Burke said. "The captain's primary responsibility is to secure the aircraft and protect all passengers on board."
Flight 781 left Chicago at 11 a.m. local time with 108 passengers on board and made its unscheduled landing in Salt Lake City at 1:40 p.m. local time. It was not an emergency landing, Burke said.
FBI agents escorted Segalov and his male traveling companion off the flight to be interviewed and the plane was searched for any signs of wrongdoing. The flight left Salt Lake City two hours later without Segalov and his companion and landed at San Francisco International Airport just before 5 p.m.
Bougherty said Segalov's companion was questioned and released and took a later flight back to the Bay Area.
Segalov was placed under arrest after FBI agents consulted with the U.S. Attorney's office. Bougherty said Segalov was very cooperative with investigators and told them he was only trying to recharge the battery by heating it.
U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said it is possible that the charges against Segalov could be reduced or dismissed after a further investigation. But for now authorities are taking the matter seriously.
"All of (the mitigating circumstances) will be taken into consideration," Rydalch said. "The U.S. attorney is a very reasonable person, but for now he (Segalov) was charged with interference with a flight crew."
Stanford University chemistry professor emeritus John Ross said that batteries require electricity to be recharged, not heat. He also said that lighting a battery on fire could lead to a small explosion that releases some toxic chemicals but it would be no threat to an airborne plane.
"It just raises havoc," Ross said. "The airlines should be concerned about that but it's not going to blow up a plane."
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San Jose State University student Maxim Segalov was charged this morning with interfering with a flight crew.....
Segalov willingly turned over the lighter and batteries to crew members and made no threats.
Segalov willingly turned over the lighter and batteries to crew members and made no threats.
"If you're lighting a cigarette lighter on an airplane, anything can catch on fire. Once you get a fire on an aircraft, it's kind of a spooky thing."
(There may be no scientific evidence for it, but IME heating a battery - even just rubbing it in your hands - does seem to resusicitate it slightly. Ditto for ballpoint pens.)
Look for cigarette lighters to become a 'prohibited item'.
Bottums Up
Talk about over reaction! 
Granted that the actions of the pax were not too wise but I'm sure the world is full of 22 years olds who don't really think beyond the current instant.
Then again the guy's real name could be Halfas Smart, agent 43, with some gizmo from Chaos, designed to make some one look a little foolish.
Granted that the actions of the pax were not too wise but I'm sure the world is full of 22 years olds who don't really think beyond the current instant.
Then again the guy's real name could be Halfas Smart, agent 43, with some gizmo from Chaos, designed to make some one look a little foolish.
Too mean to buy a long personal title
FBI spokesman George Bougherty said crew members aboard American Airlines Flight 781 from Chicago to San Francisco became concerned when they saw Segalov using a cigarette lighter to heat up some AA batteries.
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Can anyone tell me why it is OK to bring an incendiary device (a cigarette lighter) onboard the aircraft, while it is not OK nowdays to take onboard such other highly dangerous items such as nail clippers and tweezers? 
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.
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.....and I quote..
"If you're lighting a cigarette lighter on an airplane, anything can catch on fire."
I take it the nice man has no concept of FAR25.853 and ABD0031.
If you can't get them to burn with a bunsen then they are certainly going to resist a zippo.
"If you're lighting a cigarette lighter on an airplane, anything can catch on fire."
I take it the nice man has no concept of FAR25.853 and ABD0031.
If you can't get them to burn with a bunsen then they are certainly going to resist a zippo.
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Have the US authorities already forgotten the days when it was common for all flights to have smoking sections? and how did they imagine people lit their fags without 'incendary devices'?
I wonder how many people have died from setting fire to an airplane mid flight? I would suggest none. Talk about over reaction.
Even if the AA battery was filled with TNT, it would probably have only blown off his face. I doubt the aircraft would have been affected.
I wonder how many people have died from setting fire to an airplane mid flight? I would suggest none. Talk about over reaction.
Even if the AA battery was filled with TNT, it would probably have only blown off his face. I doubt the aircraft would have been affected.
N4790P
PhilW
I suspect VARIG would disagree as if my (albeit old) memory serves me right, the B707 crash landing short of Paris in the late 60s was caused by a lavatory fire from a cigarette. Seem to recall all 100+ pax died.
As an aside I was a pax on a BA 747-400 that experienced a lav fire about 6 years ago (returning from S E Asia) overhead Brussels. Scared the crap out of me and the Cpt was not at all happy. He bollocked (can I say that?) everybody as it was not known who the idiot was.
Although I do smoke myself, I for one would support a total ban on lighters, matches etc.. The world is unfortunately full of idiots
I suspect VARIG would disagree as if my (albeit old) memory serves me right, the B707 crash landing short of Paris in the late 60s was caused by a lavatory fire from a cigarette. Seem to recall all 100+ pax died.
As an aside I was a pax on a BA 747-400 that experienced a lav fire about 6 years ago (returning from S E Asia) overhead Brussels. Scared the crap out of me and the Cpt was not at all happy. He bollocked (can I say that?) everybody as it was not known who the idiot was.
Although I do smoke myself, I for one would support a total ban on lighters, matches etc.. The world is unfortunately full of idiots
Last edited by ZFT; 22nd Aug 2002 at 09:18.
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Once again a knee jerk reaction from the Yanks.
On a recent flight to the States I had a little old lady filing her nails with a razor blade. The blade was confiscated, one of the crew lent her a nail file and everyone was happy.
Can you imagine what would have happened if I had said anything to ATC? Probably F15's on each wingtip and a SWAT team on arrival.
God bless America
ATB, PTC
On a recent flight to the States I had a little old lady filing her nails with a razor blade. The blade was confiscated, one of the crew lent her a nail file and everyone was happy.
Can you imagine what would have happened if I had said anything to ATC? Probably F15's on each wingtip and a SWAT team on arrival.
God bless America
ATB, PTC
I think that in view of the fact that he handed over the offending items to the crew and remained co-operative the FBI are, in their inevitable way, over reacting. As for the crew diverting: I think that in the interest of passenger (and crew) doubts and concerns, a precautionary diversion was a good decision.
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if my (albeit old) memory serves me right, the B707 crash landing short of Paris in the late 60s was caused by a lavatory fire from a cigarette
http://aviation-safety.net/database/1973/730711-0.htm
PROBABLE CAUSE: "A fire which appears to have started in the washbasin unit of the aft right toilet. It was detected because smoke had entered the adjacent left toilet. The fire may have been started by an electrical fault or by the carelessness of a passenger.
hmmm...I recall, travelling as SLF from SIN to SYD in 1994, seeing a little old lady being browbeaten by the Singapore police (not the first police you'd offend) for carrying a CAKE SLICE in her hand baggage - clearly a dangerous weapon....
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Anybody trying to heat up a battery using a lighter on an aircraft, especially in light of terrorist Richard Reid, is too stupid to be permitted in an airport, much less on-board an aircraft.
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In light of a recent flight I had with Ryanair, I'd be more worried about the Stewardesses setting fire to the galley !! 
In the past, I have had a few funny looks from people when I've placed dead AAs under my armpits to get another 15 mins of juice out of them (..the batteries that is, not my 'pits
), but it certainly works.
Granted, it does sound as though this guy deserves all he gets for his stupidity.
In the past, I have had a few funny looks from people when I've placed dead AAs under my armpits to get another 15 mins of juice out of them (..the batteries that is, not my 'pits
), but it certainly works.Granted, it does sound as though this guy deserves all he gets for his stupidity.
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So a student is a little stupid in trying to extract a bit more juice from his batteries, this results in diversions, arrests and condemnations from every wise ar*se in the land. Yep, they've completely lost touch with reality.
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Little Stupid?
Brain Dead or seriously warped.
Armpits OK, fire, deserves everything thrown at him. Total Prat. Was with his Father. Charge him as well under the too stupid to fly rule as well.
Armpits OK, fire, deserves everything thrown at him. Total Prat. Was with his Father. Charge him as well under the too stupid to fly rule as well.
